Tokyo: Kyle Chalmers' quest to become an Olympic force over 200m took a solid reality check on the first morning of the Pan Pacs meet in Tokyo, with both he and Mack Horton missing a place in the final.

Chalmers, Olympic champion in the 100m freestyle, has made no secret of his desire to extend his dominance to the next distance range. Horton, too, has been a rapid improver in the race, with the pair going one-two at April's Commonwealth Games.

Yet neither were quick enough to qualify for the A Final, ambushed by rising stars Jack Cartwright and Alex Graham, with Clyde Lewis next in line. Chalmers' time of 1:46.62s was good enough for ninth, with Horton 11th.

Pan Pacs rules dictate that only two swimmers from each nation can swim in the A Final and the same number again in the B Final. Graham and Cartwright took the honours, before Cartwright later withdrew to focus on his 100m on Friday.

Chalmers would end up doing the same but not before being given a wake-up call in a brutal morning session that featured a 1:45.81s from top qualifier Andrew Seliskar (USA).